n a North-West by North direction from Thevenard Island
we had 65 fathoms, fine white sand, having deepened gradually from six
fathoms three miles north of it. In June of this year, working to the
North-East we had 68 fathoms three miles West by South of that position,
and 111 fathoms six miles North-West of it; beyond this no bottom was
found with 120 and 150 fathoms.*

(*Footnote. The following table is the result of other outer soundings
obtained in the Beagle, showing how far the bank of soundings extends off
the Western coast of Australia.

COLUMN 1: LATITUDE SOUTH (DEGREES, MINUTES).
COLUMN 2: DEPTH IN FATHOMS.
COLUMN 3: QUALITY OF BOTTOM.
COLUMN 4: DISTANCE FROM NEAREST LAND.

32 02 : 70 : Fine white sand and rock : Rottnest or Garden Island 20
miles.
30 55 : 86 : Fine grey sand : Main abreast 34 miles.
29 38 : 127 : Fine grey sand : Main abreast 39 miles.
26 42 : 187 : Fine grey sand : South point of Shark's Bay 37 miles.
21 14 : 111 : Fine white sand : Thevenard Island 25 miles.
20 00 : 150 : Fine white sand : Tremouille Island 35 miles.

It would thus appear that a ship in less than 110 fathoms off the west
shore of the continent would be within forty miles of the land; and
nearly the same distance from the islands fronting it, when in about 200
fathoms between the latitudes of 19 degrees 50 minutes South and 20
degrees 10 minutes South. The bank of soundings extends further off the
North-west coast, as eighty-five miles north of Depuch Island we had only
75 fathoms, fine white sand. In a south direction from that position the
water shoaled rapidly to 40 fathoms in fifteen miles; but very gradually
afterwards to 15 fathoms in fifty miles. This slope of the bank was
determined by several boards in working to the westward.)

RETURN TO SWAN RIVER.

The glimpse we got of the string of islands lying between Barrow's Island
and the North-west Cape, was quite unexpected, as the next land we had
intended seeing was Swan River. After rounding the North-west Cape, we
had the usual southerly winds, but a strong breeze from the north-west
overtook us in latitude 30 degrees 40 minutes South and longitude 112
degrees 25 minutes East, and shortened the passage, bringing us on the
27th to an anchorage under the east end of Rottnest Island, where we
found a current sweeping round to the southward, at the rate of nearly a
knot an hour. There had not been any previously felt; but in latitude 30
degrees South and longitu